1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of messaging services in mobile telecommunications networks. More specifically, the present invention discloses techniques for delivering advertisements and similar promotional messages to users of mobile devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Mobile telecommunications are now extremely popular. There are now more than one billion GSM (Global System for Mobile) subscribers worldwide. Usage has evolved from a purely voice-oriented model to data communications, messaging (Short Messaging Service (SMS)), multimedia (Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)), and browsing (Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)).
From the point of view of advertisers, mobile devices are an attractive channel of communication. However, at the present time there are surprisingly few techniques for delivering advertisements to mobile users in a way that is cost-effective, unobtrusive, and compliant with regulations. The present invention provides such techniques.
Prior art advertising on mobile devices typically proceeds via SMS or WAP.
SMS marketing campaigns consist in sending massive amounts of short text messages to mobile users. In case a mobile user wishes to request more information or to accept a promotional offer, the short text messages typically contain instructions for calling a telephone number, replying with another SMS message, or accessing a WAP site.
Advertising on WAP services is very similar to advertising on the World Wide Web (WWW). Both textual and graphical marketing messages can be added to WAP pages. “Click-through” hyperlinks allow users to access further information.
Other methods of delivering advertisements to mobile devices include the following. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/907,629 by Blom discloses a method involving an advertisement broker who obtains advertisements from advertisers and provides those advertisements to mobile users. But an advertisement is only provided to mobile users whose positions lie within a location associated with that advertisement, and the advertisement is sent to mobile users via email, which may not be supported by some mobile devices. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/907,899 by Gledje discloses a method whereby a service provider delivers advertisements to mobile users who are located in zones associated with those advertisements, who satisfy various demographic criteria, and who have subscribed to an advertising service. But many countries have privacy regulations that forbid provision of such location and demographic information to service providers. Further, location- and subscriber-based approaches are not appropriate for some types of advertising.
Current advertising on mobile devices faces a number of problems. Among these are the following.                1. The screens of mobile devices are much smaller than those of computers. Consequently, large advertisements may appear obtrusive, and small advertisements may go unnoticed.        2. Due to the nature of wireless networks, delivering advertising content to mobile devices is costly, either to the advertiser, to the mobile operator, or to the mobile user. It is more expensive to send SMS messages than to send emails, and mobile users are typically billed for the volume of WAP data they receive, which includes advertisements.        3. Unlike television viewers and computer users, mobile device users tend to look at their mobile devices only when they need to perform a specific task, such as answering or initiating a voice call, receiving or sending a Short Message, or accessing a WAP service. Moreover, it is difficult to divert the attention of mobile device users when they are about to perform one of these tasks.        4. Advertisements are most useful if they provide a way for recipients to respond to promotional messages immediately and at no cost. In most networks, sending a SMS reply or accessing a WAP page achieves the former objective but not the latter.        5. Advertisers need statistics to measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.        6. When an advertisement is inserted into an existing service, the provider of that service desires to receive compensation for providing advertising space to the advertiser.        7. Mobile device users generally consider advertising messages to be an annoyance. Consequently, mobile operators are reluctant to allow advertising on their networks, for fear of losing customers.        8. Advertising is most effective when it is carefully targeted. However, many countries have strict regulations regarding privacy. Consequently, advertisers cannot have access to all of the relevant information, such as the identities and locations of users.        
Various embodiments of the present invention address several of these problems.